9/30/2023 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Delicious. Very fruit forward, fresh raspberries and baked cherries. Somewhat light tannin, decently long finish.

7/17/2023 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Outstanding, but might be entering its dumb phase. Very closed off and restrained.

7/13/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Outstanding

4/10/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Stunning!

4/8/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Opened to use in a pasta sauce and to sip on. Great for both as usual.

4/5/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Drank with chicken vindaloo. Perfect pairing. Simple, piercing acidity but with enough sugar to complement the spice. Definitely off-dry (labeled shows a line between “medium dry” and “medium sweet”). 12% ABV which is a bit perplexing to me given “3oz sugar per 5oz glass”.

For 10 bucks, can’t go wrong for a spicy food pairing.

3/9/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Lovely and well balanced, but needs a few years. Into the cellar you go!

2/14/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Very nice. Acidity sets it off balance a bit. Uplifting, lingering finish.

1/31/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Nice. Touch of green apple and pear with some petroleum, but not much of a nose. Dry but with a hint of RS. More green apple, pear, and straw on the palate. Slightly viscous, decently long finish. Good bottle.

1/6/2022 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Nicely concentrated, great tertiary notes, LONG finish, but a bit less complex than I would have liked for something this old. Would enjoy again.

12/23/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Yes on it's way down but still outstanding. Mature, melded and complete bouquet of red fruit and big tertiary notes. Drink within the next year, however, there is not a ton left.

1/25/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Outstanding. HOP’s best Baco this vintage. All the usual notes but so much more concentrated than even the Old Vines. Can’t wait to try more.

12/25/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Outstanding. Worth keeping it for two extra years!

12/17/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Lovely! Bought pre-pandemic, drank when we could get back into NOTL.

12/5/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Tasted at winery a few days ago, going off of memory. Very cool Riesling. You've got the usual nose, slight petroleum. Rather "normal" on the front and mid palate. Finish was LONG and "grassy", as if a part of the field was in the wine. Very exciting experience. I bought a bottle to try in a couple years. Outstanding wine.

12/6/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Sampled at winery alongside the 2020 Bin 106 Lost Boys. Excellent as usual, clearly a step up from the "regular" Baco (in fact, I don't believe they don't sell it at the winery). Classic inky purple, not too much on the nose. Blackberries, black currant. Mouthwatering acidity but nicely balanced. Very concentrated with a fairly long finish. A couple notches less complex and concentrated than the Lost Boys. Outstanding value for the Baco Brigade.

12/6/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Tasted at winery. I think this is the best Baco you can get on the planet. Like the Old Vines, but more concentrated, wonderfully balanced, and a LONG finish. Bought two bottles to lay down for a couple years to revisit.

9/19/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Nice color, dark for a Pinot noir of this age. Not much on the nose other than alcohol (might be me, it was served a little warm). Nice structured body with good tannic backbone. Moss, earth, and cooked strawberries. Bright acidity on the back palate. Lovely bottle. Wish I had it with food (took it on vacation and didn’t open it until we got home for the night).

9/4/2021 - Sesesq wrote:

This was the first bottle of nice wine I ever received. Unfortunately, I received and stored it long before I got into wine. It went through two moves and one wine rack on top of my refrigerator, before being stored properly for the past year.

Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, it was cooked. Decent palate, if a bit flat, but vinegar on the finish. Played Taps and ceremoniously poured into the sink, and we talked about the person who gave it me, so I guess it served it’s purpose. Live and learn!

7/26/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Outstanding. Writing this a few days later from memory, didn’t take notes. A classic Rioja, balanced acidity and tannins. What struck me was the sheer concentration of the flavors. This is the Rioja you can break out at dinner with friends or bring to a small gathering and wow non-wine people with—they’ll notice. And if you don’t, we’ll, it was only $22.

7/11/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Stunning

5/24/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

A bit simplistic and heavy on the oak. But this is a $7 Reserva and for that reason, I’m floored.

5/9/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Stunning. I was floored by this particularly for the price point. Drank a couple weeks before the tasting note but bought three more to revisit.

5/9/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Lovely rose. Bright acidity and some underlying tannin. Peaches, pears. Would absolutely enjoy again.

5/9/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Excellent Barolo for the price. Compared to others, not as complex, and a bit unbalanced (more acidity than tannin). Would buy again, and can’t wait to enjoy the other 5 in my cellar.

5/9/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Might be the best Beaujolais I’ve ever had considering the price (no surprise since Kermit Lynch imports it). Non-wino guests wanted a “bold dark red” and ordinarily I would have reached for a CDP or one of the other southern Rhone crus, but I also knew my fiancée doesn’t care for that style, but loves Beaujolais. So I pulled this out as a compromise. And what do you know, everyone loved it.

It’s a Beaujolais, just darker and more intense. “Dark bubblegum”, black cherries, cooked strawberries. Somewhat thick mouthfeel with upfront tannins that give way to bright acidity. Longggg finish. Great wine. And hey, it’s got a pretty label too.

Definitely worth trying to age up to five years.

5/9/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Fabulous as usual. Good QPR at about $14, but I’ve seen the price creep up into the $16-20 range the last year.

This was bottle number three in a day for me (along with a party of four), so my notes are not that good. Classic fruit roll up garnacha, medium low tannins, bright acidity, strawberry. Decently long finish.

2/21/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Delicious and great QPR.

2/14/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious, a prototypical CDP. Complexity on par for a CDP. I believe I preferred the 2016 Christia I had last year, but if this is still at my Costco I'll pick up some more.

2/13/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

As usual, outstanding QPR. Opened this after getting engaged and realized that yes, spraying Champagne indoors does make a mess (but she liked the ring more than she hated the mess, so on balance, it was a great experience!).

2/13/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Wonderful, if a bit simple for a Gran Reserva. 36 months each in oak and in bottle. Definitely can get that new oak on the palate. Great QPR, but I wish as a GR this gave me a bit more.

2/13/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

(Drank awhile ago, note based on memory) Delicious! Second day it was very bretty, almost undrinkable, but just a delightful wine.

1/1/2021 - Sesesq Does not like this wine:

Pretty uninspiring, and tons of sediment for a 4 year old wine. Kind of stinker from LastBottle, especially for the $19 I paid. I have another bottle I'll revisit soon, but not holding my breath.

1/1/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Nicely balanced, reminded me of a "cool" Rioja. Not the best QPR (in college I enjoyed some sweet Portuguese wines at $6 and $7), but a wine I would enjoy again.

1/1/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Note made about a week after drinking.

Delicious if a bit unremarkable. I recall it being very well balanced. Disappointed my drinking companions each went through a class without commenting on the wine. Have bought again and will buy again.

1/1/2021 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Good this year. Nice sharp piercing acidity, telltale bubblegum, and some cherry/blueberry. Serve on the cold side (say 55 degrees).

Simple, refreshing (really, how many reds can you say that about?), and you don't feel guilty drinking this while your attention might be turned elsewhere. I love it!

12/25/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Good, nice piercing acidity with bubble gum characteristic of a Beaujolais. Blueberries. Quick finish. A bit non-specific. Good, but not a particularly great QPR.

12/11/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Freaking incredible. This blew away most crus. Not too much on the nose, little vague and some “pleasant funk” that’s blown off on day 2.

Thin body, very refreshing. Something to be slugged by the pool when you don’t feel like having the stereotypical vinho verde. Bright acidity and this funky, mossy, earthy slate note that hits you front in center. Then you notice the fruit: blueberries and strawberries! Zero tannins. Long finish.

12/11/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Pears, lime, stone/gravel/mineraly. Piercing acidity. Delightful. A freaking 1er for 20 bucks. Not too Chablis!

12/2/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Wonderful, good QPR, if not the most complex.

11/29/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Excellent. Nice deep oak and vanilla, melded to notes of tobacco and earth and dark fruit. Wonderfully complex and evenly balanced.

11/28/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Excellent. Bright acidity yet well balanced. Strawberries and raspberries.

11/9/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Wonderful QPR.

9/2/2020 - Sesesq wrote:

Great QPR. Not overly complex but nicely balanced.

9/2/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Fantastic for the price as usual.

9/2/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Great little Riesling. Maybe a bit pricey to call it a great QPR.

8/9/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Much better after serving at the proper temperature and decanting for an hour. More concentrated, aromatic, and balanced. Yet another great Costco buy.

8/9/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Picked this up at my wine shop at a discount, I assume it has some unintended "shelf age". A six year old Argentinian Riesling, a first for me. Aside from the pleasant nose of petroleum, indicating age, there is also a light nose of apple and pear. Slightly oily, medium mouthfeel, pears and apricots on the palate, bright acidity. I think there may have been something there from when it was younger that has fallen off. Great wine to experience, especially at a discount. Can't wait to check out more Rieslings from Argentina.

8/8/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Stunning. Bold, dense nose of clay or slate, strawberry, dark cherries. Perfectly balanced (save for some tannin that could use a few years), similar palate as the nose, plus some black pepper. Very very concentrated. Long, lingering finish. This is the best wine I have ever tasted!

7/20/2020 - Sesesq Likes this wine:

Relatively simple, but an easy drinker. Nice blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Syrah. Look forward to enjoying my second bottle.